05/25/2026
Thank you for your kind words!
After ingesting a 90-day supply of phenobarbital that was left on the counter, Lucy was found unresponsive on the back porch in 50-degree Fahrenheit weather.
The phenobarbital belonged to another dog in the household for seizure control. While the family was away, Lucy jumped onto the counter, chewed open the container, and consumed approximately 80–90 tablets.
Lucy was rushed to Animal Emergency and Specialty Center in Knoxville, where she presented unresponsive, profoundly hypothermic, bradycardic, and hypotensive. Her temperature was too low to read, and her blood pressure could not initially be obtained.
Emergency treatment included immediate intubation, active warming support, rapid intravenous fluid therapy, and gastric lavage. No tablets were recovered from the stomach contents, suggesting the medication had already been absorbed prior to presentation.
Over the following four days, the hospital medical team and Pet Poison Helpline worked together to continually adjust Lucy’s treatment and supportive care as she responded to therapy. After her temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure stabilized, Lucy later developed a severe inflammatory or infectious reaction that dangerously elevated her body temperature, requiring additional cooling procedures and intensive management.
Phenobarbital is commonly prescribed for seizure management in both human and veterinary medicine, but large overdoses can rapidly lead to severe central nervous system depression, cardiovascular instability, respiratory compromise, and coma.
Fortunately, Lucy ultimately recovered following intensive supportive care and close collaboration between the emergency and toxicology teams. This case serves as an important reminder that even familiar medications can become life-threatening toxicities when accidentally ingested. Always keep medications securely stored and out of reach of pets.
Golden Retriever in Coma After Massive Phenobarbital Overdose. News release. Pet Poison Helpline
